Pressure-regulator for fermenting liquids



(No Model) M. WARREN.

PRESSURE REGULATOR FOR FERMENTING LI'QUIDS. No. 320,422.

N. Pzrsns Phommhognplnr. W-Mngim an UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

MARION VARREN, OF ROCHESTER, NEW YORK.

PRESSURE-REGULATOR FOR. FERMENTING LIQUIDS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 320,422, dated June 16, 1885.

Application filed March 11, 1885.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, MARION ARREN, of Rochester, in the county of Monroe and State of New York, have invented certain new and use ful Improvements in PressureRegulators for Fermenting Liquids, of which the following is a full,clear, and exact specification, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part thereof.

My invention relates to a portable device designed for confining fermenting liquids at a constant pressure, the contrivance being more particularly designed for application to the single casks commonly known in the art as shavings-casks, employed by brewers to confine beer during the course of the usual fining operation, in which the beer is perinitted to clarify and deposit the impurities held in suspension. To secure satisfactory results in this operation it is necessary that a moderate pressure-usually about seven pounds to the squareinch-shall be maintained; that this pressure shall be as nearly uniform as possible, and that any tendency toward increase of pressure in consequence of increased fermentation shall be immediately but gradually relieved to avoid the ebullition and agitation which would result from a sudden relief. It

is the aim of my invention to secure these results by means of a device which shall be at. once portable, cheap, simple, free from liability of injury by the rough handling to which it is subjected, and which will operate indefinitely without attendance, and without danger of being clogged or impeded by the matters flowing therethrough.

To this end it consists in a body or chamber adapted for application to the cask, provided with an internal flexible diaphragm subjected to the constant pressure of the gases flowing from the cask, with a valve to regulate the discharge of the gases and fluid from the interior, with an intermediate lever connecting said valve and diaphragm, and with an adj ustable spring tending to close the valve, the several parts being constructed and combined for joint operation in the particular manner hereinafter specified and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 represents a side elevation of my regulator. Fig. 2 is an elevation of the diaphragm cham- (No model.)

bung, B, the lower end of which is provided I with a series of perforations to admit the fluids and gases, but exclude coarse impurities.

On the upper end of the body A there is formed or secured an enlarged diaphragmchamber, L, of a conical or other suitable form, the larger end of which is closed by a flexible diaphragm, P, the edge, of which are confined between the face of the chamber and the periphery of a covering-plate, K,whieh is screwed or otherwise confined firmly in place, this plate being made of convex form, that it may not interfere with the vibration of the diaphragm.

To the center of the diaphragm there is secured, by a washer, h, and screw 2, one end of a tubular stem or spindle, w, the outer orrear end of which is enlarged to form an annular flange, and encircled by a spiral spring, a, which bears against said flange.

A spindle, 11, inserted within the tubular stem, is provided at one end with a cross-pin, u, projecting through longitudinal slots in the stem and bearing against the forward end of the spring. The opposite or rear end of the spindle 0 extends through a hole in the rear end of the diaphragm-chamber L, and is engaged by an adjustingnut, q, seated in a re cess in the outer side of the body. As the spindle t is fixed against end motion it holds the spring under compression, so that the spring in turn acts to urge the stem w toward the right, and thus spring the diaphragm in the same direction, for a purpose which will presently appear.

The out p is surrounded by a gland or stuffing-boX, a, threaded into the body for the purpose of preventing leakage. served that the parts passing through this it is to be ob gland are not moved during the ordinary operation of the device, and that consequently they do not in the least increase the friction or impair the delicacy with which the, instrument operates.

A cap, 0, covers the nut and gland and is screwed firmly upon the body in order to protect these parts and prevent evil-disposed persons from destroying the adjustment of the spring.

Immediately below the diaphragm-chamber I provide the body with a neck, V, for the discharge of the gases and waste fluids. This neck is closed by means of an external elastic valve, S, having a metal cap, 0, from which a stem, k, is extended centrallyin ward and secured to a forked head, T. This head is in turn pivoted to the lower end of a lever, (7, located within the diaphragm-chamber, and pivoted midway of its length to a' fixed arm, 0. The upper end of the lever is forked, as shown in Fig. 2, and its arms adapted to enter a circumferential groove in the forward end of the stem w, near the diaphragm. The lever thus arranged serves as a direct connection between the diaphragm and the valve, so as to open the latter when the diaphragm is moved to the left and close it again as the diaphragm moves to the right.

It will be observed that the parts are so arranged that the lever causes substantially equal movements of the diaphragm and the valve, a slight movement of the former being followed by a correspondingly slight opening of the valve.

A branch pipe, D, provided with a cock, E, may be formed on the side of the body to receive a pressure-gage, H. A cock, 0, may be also located in the body below the diaphragm-chamber to close connection with the latter when desired. A delivery-pipe,R,may also be applied to the discharge-neck 'U, to facilitate the application of a hose or other pipe to carry on the waste products.

In making use of the device, the plug or bung B is screwed directly into the top of the shavings-cask, which is usually of suitable size to contain from fifty to two hundred barrels of beer.

By the joint operation of the diaphragm and the spring the lever D is caused to hold the valve S normally in a closed condition, so as to prevent any discharge from the cask. When, however, the pressure exceeds the predetermined limit, its force against the diaphragm is such as to overcome the resistance r of the spring and force the diaphragm to the left, the diaphragm acting in turn, through the lever D, to open the valve S, so that the discharge of the gases which rise from the cask through the body is allowed to, commence the instant that the movement of the diaphragm begins. The pressure is gradually reduced in consequence of the escape of the gases, and when the proper limit is reached the spring causes the valve to close, thus preventing the pressure from passing below the proper point.

It will be observed that the pressure of the gases acts both against the diaphragm and against the valve in such. direction as to urge the latter open, and that all the connections of the valve and diaphragm are located in the chamber in direct connection with the body of the apparatus, so that water or other fluid may be conveniently passed through the interior to cleanse the parts and keep them in operative condition, if required.

It is further to be noted that the organization shown avoids the necessity of using packed joints or closely-fittin g parts, and that consequently the operative parts are permit ted to move with entire freedom, and to respond with great delicacy to the slightest variations in the pressure.

It will also be observed that the diaphragm is arran ged'in a vertical position and the valve arranged to move horizontally. In this class of apparatus, this arrangement is of peculiar advantage, in that the strong vibrations of the cask, which occur by reason of the frequent hammering and pounding to which 'it is subj'ected in inserting and removing the bung, do not cause an injurious vibration of the diaphragm or pounding of the valve upon its seat.

In other forms of regulator having the diaphragm arranged horizontally, serious difficulty has been encountered because of the injury to the valve and its connections in consequence of the vibration of the diaphragm produced by the pounding of the cask.

I am aware that numerous attempts have been made to produce automatic pressure-regulators, and that pistons and diaphragms acted upon by fluid-pressure, and operating directly and indirectly on valves, have been variously combined with weights and springs; and consequently I do not lay broad claim thereto, but I believe myself to be the first to produce the particular organization herein shown and claimed, and thorough practical tests have shown such organization to be superior in the results attained to those heretofore known in the art, and particularly to those in which the diaphragm and valve were connected by weighted levers in such manner that a slight movement of the diaphragm caused a relatively great movement of the valve.

In practice it is found that in this class of devices a spring differs in its action from a weight: first, in that it offers an increasing resistance as the valve is opened; and, second, in that it is free from the difficulties incident to the inertia and the momentum which cause an irregular or unequal action of a weighted lever.

It will be observed that in my device the pressure is regulated by controlling the escape of the gases from a closed vessel, and that, to this end, the diaphragm is constantly exposed to the pressure of the confined gases. In this regard aclear distinction is to be drawn &

between adevice of thepresenttype and those socalled gas-regulators for controlling the pressure of illuminating-gas at the burner, in which the result is secured by diminishing the valve-opening in advanceof the burner, and in which the diaphragm is subjected to the pressure of the gas only when the valve is open and after the gas has first passed through the valve opening. In instruments of one class the diaphragm operates to open a normally-closed valve, while in those of the other class the diaphragm operates to close a normally-open valve, the two classes of instruments operating upon directly-opposite principles, and bcingincapable of substitution one for the other.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is-- 1. In a pressureregulating hung, the combination, with the diaphragm-chamber L, provided with inlet-pipe J and outlet-pipe V, of the diaphragm 1, spring 12, valve-stem 1), adjusting-screw q, lever d, and the normallyclosed valve S.

2. In a pressure regulating bung, the combination, with the diaphragm-chamber L, provided with inlet J and outlet V, of the diaphragm P, the adjustable spring, the stem having the grooved head, the forked lever d, and the normally-closed valve S.

3. The pressure-regulating attachment for single casks, consisting of the body or chamber L, provided with the bung B, the diaphragm P, the valve S, the intermediate centrally-pivoted lever, d, and the adjustable spring n, combined for joint operation, as described and shown.

4. In a pressure-regulator for attachment to individual casks contai nin gfermentin g liquids, the tubular body provided with the threaded bung or plug, in combination with the diaphragm-chamber, the verticallyarranged diaphragm, the spring connected therewith, the horizontally-moving valve S, and the connecting-lever d, said parts constructed and combined for joint operation, substantially as described, whereby the vertical vibration of the cask is prevented from moving the dia phragm and valve.

MARION WARREN.

Witnesses:

GEO. B. SELDEN, H. G. PHILLIPS. 

